Car-coupler



(ModeL) S. FARNAM.

GAR COUPLER.

No. 244,213. Patented July 12,1881.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. PholoUiM npher. Wampum D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE...

STEPHEN FARNAM, OF FOREST HOME, TEXAS.

CAR-COUPLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,213, dated July 12, 1881,

i Application filed July 19, 1880. (Model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN FARNAM, av citizen of the United States, residing at Forest Home, in the county of Cass and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin(Jar-Couplings andIdohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a detail or sectional end elevation of a car, showing my improved coupling; and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, partlyin section.

This invention has for its object the coupling and uncoupling without goingbetween the cars; and it relates to that class of couplings in which the pin is elevated by hand and upon contact ofthe cars, and by the concussion thereof drops automatically, and thus secures the link of the impinging car.

This invention consists, first, in atransversely-arranged bar supported by suitable hangers secured to the end of the car a suitable distance above the draw-bar, each end of said transverse bar being provided with hand-wheels having a notch on their outer periphery, with which engage weighted pawls suitably pivoted to the side of the car; secondly, in an arm extending from said transverse bar for supporting the link, provided with a spring arranged to exert pressure thereon, and thus assist in holding the pin down in place; thirdly, in a peculiarlyformed draw-bar; and, fourthly, in the combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings, A denotes the end of a car provided with my coupling. The manner of attachment, it is obvious, may be modified to suit the various constructions of cars.

A suitable distance above the draw-bar B a transverse bar, 0, is supported by hangers or bearings D suitably secured to the end of the car. On each end of said bar 0 are arranged hand-wheels E, having a notch, a, in their outer periphery, with which engages the upper end of a pawl, F, pivoted to the side of the car, the lower end of said pawl being weighted and provided with a projecting handle, 11, as shown.

On the bar 0, and about midway thereof, an arm, G, is arranged, connecting, by a link, H, with the coupling-pin I, supported or held by a guide-arm, J, projecting from the draw-bar or other suitable place. The pin I is provided or formed with ribs 0, to obviate any torsional movement or turning thereof, and thus prevent injurious wear of its connection with the bar O.

A coil-spring, K, loosely arranged on the bar 0, has one end, 07, secured to the car and the other end, e, secured to the arm G, said spring being arranged to exert downward pressure on the arm G, and thus assist in holding the pin in place, as well as force it down to secure the link when the wheels F are freed, as hereinafter set forth.

To one side of the arm G, and on the bar 0, is also arranged an arm, 11, with which connects the upper end of a link, M, the lower end of which is connected with one end of a lever, N, pivoted to the box 0 holding the draw-bar, or other suitable place, the other end of said lever passing into an eye, f, of the link-guide P, extending up into the draw-bar, as shown. Said link-guide is provided with an upward curve or bend, g, to center the link, and thus insure its proper insertion into the draw-bar of the other car. The draw-bar is formed with an incline, h, to properly guide the link in case one car should be lower than the other, and said incline formed with a backwardly-converging convexity, i, to hold the link to be properly elevated by the guide P. This incline h is provided with a recess, j, to receive the upper part of the link-guide P,.and thus not offer obstruction to the link when in the act of passing into the draw-bar to form a connection between the two cars.

The operation is as follows: When two cars are to be coupled one to the other the wheel on the side of the car at which the operator is standing is turned to elevate the link, when the upper end of the pawl F engages with the notch a, where it is held by the weight on the lower end thereof, thus holding the pin elevated to allow the link of the other car to pass into the draw-bar. As soon as the two cars impinge the concussion thereof throws the weighted end of the pawl forward, thus freeing the upper end from the notch in the wheel, and thereby allowing the pin, by the spring on the transverse rod, to be forced down, securing the link, and thus forming a coupling between the two cars.

As hereinbefore stated, the arrangement of the operative mechanism may be modified to suit cars of various constructions, and in case of passenger-cars be arranged under the platform, without departing from the substantial construction and arrangement of parts shown incthe drawings and hereinbefore described in detail.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a wheel, E, on the rocking shaft that raises the coupling-pin, of a detent-lever pawl, F, pivoted to the side of car, having along pendent weighted armand provided with a short end-curved arm working in a notch of said wheel, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with a coupling-pin, I, of a rock-shaft, 0, having arm Gr, connected by a link with said pin, and provided with a spring, K, to prevent the pin from jarring out, as described.

3. In a car-couplin g, the combination of a bar, 0, having wheels E formed with notches a, with which engage a weighted pawl, F, spring K, arm Gr, link H, pin I, and pin-guide J, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of bar 0, wheels E, arm L, link M, lever N, and linkguide 1?, formed with bend g, to center the link and insure its proper insertion in the draw-bar of the other car, as set forth.

5. The draw-bar B, formed with incline h, having convexity '13 and recess j, the latter to receive the link-guide, as set forth.

6. In a car-coupling, the combination of the bar (J, wheels E. having notches a, weighted pawl F, spring K, arm G, link H, pin I, pinguide J, arm L, link M, lever N, and link-guide P, all constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described.

STEPHEN FARNAM.

Witnesses:

W. J. WIGKHAM, J. B. KIZER. 

